Romney lays out foreign policy plans
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E-mail Xinhua, July 25, 2012
Presumed U.S. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Tuesday laid out his foreign policy plans before a week-long visit to Europe and Israel, saying there must be full suspension of enrichment activity in Iran, while revising his stand on condition-based withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan to full security responsibility transition in that Central Asian country.
Speaking to Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention in Reno, Nevada, Romney said "there must be a full suspension of any enrichment, period," in regard to his position on Iran, insisting "America cannot be neutral in the outcome" of the Middle East, and must clearly stand for Israel, its main ally in the region, while opposing Iran and other adversaries there.
Departing from his previous positions of a condition-based withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the former Massachusetts governor said if he becomes president, he would complete a successful transition to Afghan security forces by the end of 2014, as he will "evaluate conditions on the ground" to affirm "the security of the nation."
President Obama has announced that U.S. forces will fully transfer security responsibilities to Afghan forces by 2014, a plan criticized by Romney as "emboldening" the Taliban.
Romney also accused Obama of being too soft with Russia, impending military budget cuts as well as recent leaks to the press of national security info, saying such things wouldn't happen under his watch, and that he would preserve U.S. supremacy in military capability and leadership in the world.
"If we do not have the strength or vision to lead, then other powers will take our place, pulling history in a very different direction," said Romney, pledging that if he becomes commander-in- chief, "the United States of America will fulfill its duty, and its destiny."
Romney made the remarks before his week-long trip to Europe and Israel. He is to depart later Tuesday for London, where he will meet with British officials including Prime Minster David Cameron on Thursday, participating in the opening ceremony of London Olympics Games on Friday and holding fundraisers there.
After visiting Britain, Romney will fly to Israel for the weekend, and return next week to Europe with a visit to Poland. The visit was designed to boost Romney's foreign policy credentials, while highlighting what the Romney campaign termed as "failures" of Obama's foreign policy.
"President Obama promised to lead on foreign policy, but by his own measure and the goals he set to accomplish, he has failed," one adviser of Romney said when previewing Romney's table setting address ahead of his weeklong visit.
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